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hı̄-ē´na (צבוּע, caÌ„bhuÌ„a‛ (); Septuagint ὑαιÌνη, huaıÌneÌ„ (; Ecclesiasticus 13:18); compare Arabic dÌ£ab‛ or dÌ£abu‛, “hyaenaâ€; compare צבעי×, cebhō‛ı̄m, Zeboim (; ); also compare צבעון, cibh‛oÌ„n, Zibeon (, , ; ); but not צביי×, cebhoÌ„yı̄m, Zeboiim (; , etc.)): English Versions of the Bible does not contain the word “hyena,†except in Ecclesiasticus 13:18, “What peace is there between the hyena and the dog? and what; peace between the rich man and the poor?†In , where the Hebrew has ha-‛ayitÌ£ caÌ„bhuÌ„a‛ (the Revised Version (British and American) “a speckled bird of preyâ€), Septuagint has σπηÌλαιον ὑαιÌνης, speÌ„Ìlaion huaıÌneÌ„s, “a hyena's den,†as if from a Hebrew original having me‛aÌ„raÌ„h, “cave,†instead of ha-‛ayitÌ£, “bird.†The root caÌ„bha‛ may mean “to seize as prey†(compare Arabic seb‛, “lion†or “rapacious animalâ€), or “to dip†or “to dye†(compare Arabic sÌ£abagh, “to dyeâ€), hence, the two translations of caÌ„bhuÌ„a‛ as “hyena†and as “speckled†(Vulgate versicolor).
The hyena of Palestine is the striped hyena (Hyaena striata) which ranges from India to North Africa. The striped, the spotted, and the brown hyenas constitute a distinct family of the order of Carnivora, having certain peculiarities of dentition and having four toes on each foot, instead of four behind and five in front, as in most of the order. The hyena is a nocturnal animal, rarely seen though fairly abundant, powerful but cowardly, a feeder on carrion and addicted to grave-robbing. The last habit in particular has won it the abhorrence of the natives of the countries which it inhabits. In the passage cited in Ecclus, it is to be noted that it is to the hyena that the rich man is compared. The jaws and teeth of the hyena are exceedingly strong and fitted for crushing bones which have resisted the efforts of dogs and jackals. Its dens are in desolate places and are littered with fragments of skeletons. “Is my heritage unto me as a speckled bird of prey?†() becomes a more striking passage if the Septuagint is followed, “Is my heritage unto me as a hyena's den?â€
Shaḳḳ-ud-Ḍibâ‛, “Cleft of the hyenas,†is the name of a valley north of Wâdi-ul-Ḳelt, and Wâdi-Abu-Dibâ‛ (of similar meaning) is the name of an affluent of Wâdi-ul-Ḳelt. Either of these, or possibly Wâdi-ul-Ḳelt itself, may be the valley of Zeboim (valley of hyenas) of .
The name of Zibeon the Horite (, etc.) is more doubtfully connected with “hyena.â€